


Lucky Charm

by SomeOtherPerson3



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Cryptids, Englisch is not my first language, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mutual Pining, Not beta read we die like men here, Shane has a secret, Western, Western AU, author is not concerned with historical accuracy, but he doesnt want to admit it, but only maybe, cryptids exist, ryan is a bandid, ryan is a witch, the supernatural is real
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:02:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27084580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeOtherPerson3/pseuds/SomeOtherPerson3
Summary: What happens when you safe an innocent man from certain death in the middle of a stormy night?Well, you don't think you would get sucked into an underground war between witches and humans.You also don't think it's so easy to fall in love with that man. Shane certainly didn't expect any of this tohappen to him.Trust doesn't come easy for both of them. But a curse is to be lifted, innocent lives have to be savedand eventually, feelings have to be confronted.Western/Supernatural AU!
Relationships: Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Comments: 7
Kudos: 21





	1. The Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Okay here it goes, my first fanfiction ever written in english! In fact, I didn't write anything for a long time! So please go easy on me  
> That aside, enjoy this first chapter! Here is to many more to follow!
> 
> I also wanna thank SomePerson3 for her support <3

He was an unfortunate fella, Ryan that is. Bad luck followed him around wherever he went. Or so he thought.

Right now, he was clutching at his side where a bullet had duck its way into his flesh to give him a stinging pain. It was dark and he felt dizzy from the fight earlier and the bloodloss. He could feel himself getting weaker with every moment that passes. The world began twirling around him.  
On top of that, it was raining, he had no idea where he was either.  
„Fuck…“ he muttered breathless, keeping himself steady at a tree with one hand. It was a little grove he was hiding in. He could hear those damn witch-hunters coming closer.  
„He went that way!“, one man yelled.  
„I want him now! He can‘t escape again, you imbeciles!“ a woman screamed in anger.  
Quickly he decided to just walk in the direction away from them, as fast as his wobbly legs would carry him. Unfortunately for, Ryan didn‘t see the hillslope and so he fell down, gasping in pain as he rolled down the steep hillside and hit his head on a boulder.  
„No, not like this.“, he mumbled, trying to stand up. But he felt lightheaded. His surroundings swirled in front of his eyes and the pulsing pain in his head kept him from making another move. Everything went dark and so he lost all consciousness.

Not so far away, a lonesome rider made his way to his home. He was drenched from the heavy rain that poured since he made his way into the nearby town. He went to get some groceries, but he also got some insults and weird glances as always. Shane was used to it though. He didn't give to much about what people thought of him. But the way that little boy had looked at him with wide fearful eyes as his mother pulled him into the store as he walked by had hurt him. He shoved that feeling in the back of his mind so he had to never think about it again.  
Comotion pulled him out of is brooding and he looked up to see a group of people with torches searching the little grove of oak up the hill. He couldn‘t make out what they were saying, he was too far away for that. But it also didn't worry him too much, he had his means to defend himself when needed. If it was something noteworthy, he would come to know about it sooner then later.  
But something on the ground got his attention. Someone was lying there in the dirt unmoving! He huffed as he made his horse stand still. „Wait here Bandit, it's all good, just let me have a quick look there.“ he reassured his horse with a pat on the neck. „Stay quiet.“ he added in a whisper. The group of people was still close and he didn‘t want to draw attention to himself. His loyal steed shook his mane at that.  
He approached the figure on the ground with caution but soon noticed they were unconscious. „Hello… can you hear me?“ he asked quietly and kneeled down to inspect that person. „Shit“ he hissed. There was blood all over this guy. He noticed the wound that clearly came from a bullet. Together with the wound on his forehead and the concussion he probably had, it didn‘t look too good for this man.  
Shane contemplated for a moment. He connected the two dots quickly. The mob up there was certainly looking for this wounded man. They probably were the ones that shot him. Maybe he was dangerous, a criminal even. But his own heart was too big, he decided. Quickly he lifted the man up and carried him to his horse.  
„Guess we have a visitor for tonight, Bandit. Sorry you have to carry him too“. But Bandit stood perfectly still as Shane managed to mount himself and the other man at once. „Let's go! Quick!“.  
Thunder rumbled through the sky as he gave Bandit the spurs and so they rode on through the storm back home.

Back at his small farm, Shane quickly put Bandit in her stable and rushed to his house up the stairs with that stranger in his arms. Carefully, he placed Ryan on a table he had in his hallway and examined him further.  
The man's face was pretty much mush. Besides the bleeding wound at his temple, there was a dark bruise under his eye and dried blood under his nose. He wore leather gloves, with was kinda odd, but Shane didn‘t question other peoples fashion choices. The white shirt he wore was torn at his shoulder, where he had a burn mark Shane would tend to later. Its already soaked, red with blood at his side, form the shot wound, so that was the most urgent wound to tend to. Shane made short business with the shirt. With one swift motion, he ripped it off of Ryans body and threw the two pieces on the floor. His beautifully tanned skin was littered with bruises and scratch marks, probably form the fall. Beautifully? Focus Shane, that man is dying! He quickly got bandages and some medical utensils out of a little cabinet.  
Luckily the bullet didn‘t make it deep into Ryans body. It must have been a shot from far away. So it was not a big thing for Shane to remove it. The bleeding was a bigger issue though. He pressed his hand to the wound to help stop it, as he grabbed the bandages to wrap him tightly. He lifted him gently up to lean against his shoulder for better access.

Ryan felt dizzy as he opened his eyes. Everything hurt. Above him loomed two large men, they looked exactly alike, must be twins. In his half awoken and pain-ridden state, he made out that he was in the process of being patched up. A little huff escaped him, as he felt the man lifting him up into a seating position. He was not strong enough to keep himself up and could barely keep his eyes open. So he slumped against the man's brought shoulder. Ryan, in his weak state, could make out the pleasant smell of that man.  
As Shane was done bandaging his wound, he gently laid the man back on the table and noticed he was awake. At least kinda. No coherent thought seemed to form in his brain and his eyes were half-closed. So he would resume patching that poor man up. His eyes fell to the burn on Ryans shoulder. As he examined it further, he knew exactly what it was. Branding of the letter W. So that angry mob up the hill were witch-hunters! And this guy was probably a witch. His eyes darted to the man's face. He had opened his eyes and looked tiredly at him. But before Shane could say anything, a loud knocking came from his door downstairs.

He could already imagine who it was. „Stay quiet.“, he whispered to the man and then made his way downstairs. Only now he noticed the state he was in. His wet duster and hat, together with his muddy boots and bloody shirt were not an innocent look at all.  
Ryan could hear the door downstairs opening. A feeling of nausea overcame him, as he heard the voice of a man talking below. He recognized it, one of the witch-hunters. It made his stomach twist in anxiety. Witch-hunters were ruthless people but folks around here usually trusted them. He was pretty sure that man would hand him over to them and so to his quick death. That is just what people usually did.  
„Hello! We are looking for a very dangerous man! He is a ruthless and bloodthirsty witch. Have you seen something suspicious?“. The man at the door gave Shane an up-down with a suspicious look on his face, eyes staying on his dirty clothes. Shane shook his head no while trying to look as unassuming as possible. „No, I have seen nobody! I just lost my last goat… due to pregnancy complications you know. Was in the stable the whole evening.“ he gestured to his dirty clothing and looked to the ground sadly. „I‘m sorry that I can‘t be off any help, good sir. Down the road is a town, maybe you can find answers there!“ he added.  
Shane hated witch- hunters. The folks they persecute for witchcraft were innocent most of the time. Helpful to others even, or not witches at all. And all the cryptids the hunt down, in reality, wanted nothing more than to stay away from humans. They were afraid too! Sure, there were a few bad apples like wendigos, but they were few and far between. He could feel anger and anxiety flair up in himself. A heat that pulsed in waves through him and made it hard to control himself. His fingernails dug their way into the doorframe as he tried to maintain his calm demeanour. It was a tense silence as he waited for that witch-hunter to ask to come in.

„Very well, keep a look around for anything suspicious lad.“, the hunter said and turned around. „Good night! And sorry about your goat.“.  
Shane watched that man ride away on his horse. He stepped on his front porch to look around for any other people around. He was sure these pesky hunters would search the area for a while. But nobody was there, so he got inside again. A released sigh escaped him and the tension in his shoulders vanished a bit. He took off his hat, coat and boots before returning to his patient upstairs.

Ryan was sitting upright on the table as he saw Shane coming up the stairs. Their eyes met. Shane looked at him in surprise, but Ryans look was more on the anxious and suspicious side.  
„You… lied down there for me. You didn‘t have to do that. All of this in fact.“ he gestured around him but regretted that when he felt a sudden pain at his side and clutched his hand to it and hissed. „It can get you in big trouble, you know“. Ryan couldn‘t manage to look that stranger in the eyes for long. He was as good as dead and this man saved him. He didn‘t deserve that.  
Shane didn‘t exactly know what to say either. „But I wanted too“ was a very weird response to that. His eyes darted to the Branding and Ryan noticed it. Tense silence began to fill the air, only the noise of the rain against the roof was audible.  
„Its… okay“, Shane said lamely.  
„I‘m not a witch!“, said Ryan at the same time, but louder and a bit frantic. He quickly covered it with his free hand. Their eyes met again and that prompted Shane to laugh slightly. „Well, witch or not, you are safe here and can stay until you are fully recovered.“ he said and went on with his task of patching his patient up. That left Ryan speechless for a moment. He watched the man as he got some little bottles out of a cabinet. „I‘m Shane by the way.“ he said so nonchalantly, as if Ryan wasn‘t sitting here, half-naked and full of blood and wounded, but like as if they where neighbours drinking a whiskey together. He was tall and lanky. The shaggy brown hair was a delight in Ryans opinion and it suited his soft face so well together with the stubble he had. Shane locked intently form one bottle to another to figure out which one to use next.  
„‘m Ryan.“ he muttered, still not knowing what to feel or think of this situation.  
„Ryan!“ Shane repeated and turned back to him. „I will try to disinfect and clean that nasty branding and that wound on your temple, is that okay?“.  
Ryan hesitated. He received it this morning from them when they captured him. A very unpleasant memory. The sting of humiliation and anger brought tears to his eyes as he nodded silently and took his hand away from the spot.  
Pleased with that, Shane hummed low and put some water on a cloth to start cleaning. „Well, I kinda hoped you were a witch so you could help me update my medical cabinet“ he tried to make light conversation and find something out about the stranger. „Are you a doctor?“ Ryan gestured to his medical utensils and the cabinet. „You have a pretty decent setup here.“. Shanes calm demeanour put him slowly at ease.  
„No, I just have a lot of time to read! So I try to learn all about whatever interests me. Also, I thought with me living alone out here, this all could come in handy. And it did plenty of times already!“ he looked up from Ryan muscular shoulder to his eyes and smiled. He looked definitely more at ease now, though there were still tears glistering in his eyes. „Thank you… Shane.“. A warm feeling crawled up Shane's cheeks. He ignored it.  
And so they went on in silence again. But this time more comfortable than before. Ryan closed his eyes as Shane cleaned his face off of the dried blood and dirt. This gave him the change to study his face a bit more. That man sure was handsome. Quickly he shook that thought off. It could get a little lonely on his little farm after all.

A short time later, Shane was done and Ryan was all bandaged. „Is it tight enough around your waist? It has to stop the bleeding!“ he said and Ryan nodded. „It has to do! That tincture you put onto my wounds surely helps with the pain.“  
„Well then, I bet you are very tired. You can sleep in the guestroom“. He helped Ryan stand up and supported him all the way to the bed where he kneeled next to it. There was no protest because he was indeed very tired. The medication helped with the dizziness and pain but he just needed sleep.  
„I‘ll be in the room next door. Just tell me if you need anything.“ Shane said and stood up. But Ryan gave his hand a light squeeze. „Thank you…“ he said tiredly. Shane gave him a tired smile and a light squeeze in return before exiting the room. That whole situation has taken a toll on him as well, and his bed was calling out to him. So he just throws his dirty clothes in a corner of his room and throws himself on the bed. His last thought goes to the witch-hunters lurking out there… and the witch-or-not-witch in the room next to him. He had a good feeling about this.  
In the guestroom, Ryan took off one of his gloves. He placed his now free hand gently on the wound and murmured an incantation. That will stop the bleeding. He put his glove back on again and stared at the ceiling. Its been so long since another human had shown him thin unconditional kindness and it gave him a warm feeling in his chest.


	2. The Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan enjoys life on the farm with Shane, but he has important things to do!
> 
> Feelings are felt and decisions are made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter took so long. Life happened!  
> I promise the next chapter will come up sooner!
> 
> I originally planned this to be only a part of one chapter  
> but it got longer then I expected so now I split it up!
> 
> Enjoy!

Ryan was sitting on the front porch of Shanes Farmhouse. The other man rode into town to buy some groceries. So he had time for himself to think. He relished in the warm evening air, a cool breeze faining on his face, heralding the approaching sunset. 

He‘d been here for a little over two weeks now. On the one hand because of the state his body was in. His magic could only do so much and he‘d been feeling weak, only in the last few days, he got better. On the other hand, those witch-hunters were still roaming the area, so he and Shane thought best for Ryan to stay hidden for a while. 

He enjoyed his time here actually. Maybe more then he wanted to admit to himself. It was so easy with that big guy. Easy jokes, easy talks, easy silence. A simple life. Ryan almost felt like he would want this again, staying in one place and just have a home and someone to spend time with as they did. . 

Sometimes, when Shane was standing in the kitchen, chopping vegetables from his garden and humming to himself, or when they cared for the goats together, he could let himself believe he might be worthy of this life again. 

_But he wasn‘t._

Bad luck followed him. Wherever he went, people, he was close to would get in danger. He got in danger constantly. But this was partly his own choice. His life was so messy and he didn‘t want this for anyone else.

Ryan pulled off one of his gloves and stared at his hand.  
It was black. Pitch-black. Like he dipped it in charcoal. An exhausted sigh escaped him as he contemplated it. It just didn‘t make sense to him. Sometimes the blackness would crawl up his arm, at times it was at his elbow. And other times, like now, its just his hand. It had a life on its own, he‘d learned that very soon after he got it five years ago. 

This was, why he couldn‘t let himself become soft like this. He needed to get his old life back!  
Shane was a good person. He saved his life, let him stay here and hide. Even though it would get him in danger as well. He didn‘t even ask again if Ryan was a witch. Shane had a hunch on the truth, he was an intelligent man, Ryan knew that. But he was thankful they didn‘t talk about it again. The less Shane new, the better for him. He wanted to return the favour best he could. For Shane to be safe. 

_So he made a decision._

He took a pen and wrote a message on a small piece of paper, circled the words and tapped on it with one ungloved finger. The paper crumpled and vanished into a little bulb of light. The words went to one person he trusted. Steven. They knew each other for a long time and he was one of few people Ryan would call a friend.

They‘ve been in contact like this for as long as Ryan had stayed on the farm. Together they had made plans for there next steps they would take. When it all worked out, Ryan would be rid of those cursed hands. And he could see Elenor again. Live a normal life again! And Shane would be safe from his influence on luck and could live a normal life again too!  
He gloved his hand again.

The sound of hooves snapped Ryan out of his brooding and he looked up to see Bandit and Shane riding through the gate. His smile faltered the second he noticed Shanes temple bleeding. So he immediately stood up and followed the two to the stable. 

„Hey big guy, how was Tombstone?“, he leaned against the doorframe of the stable, a gentle smirk on his face.

Shane had his back turned to him as he unsaddled Bandit. The tall man didn‘t turn around as he said: „Oh hey Ryan! Nothin‘ special! I got us some bourbon“.

That made Ryan frown. He wanted Shane to admit he got in trouble by himself. He didn‘t want to drag it out of him. Ryan had noticed Shane had a gloomy air to him, every time he came back from Tombstone. But why was that, Ryan wanted to know.  
„Oh, so that wound on your forehead is nothing special then? You don‘t bring that back every time you come back“, he asked, tone slightly sour.

Shane flinched at that comment, closed his eyes feeling caught. He‘d hoped Ryan wouldn't notice it, since it wasn‘t that big and he‘d only see it from afar.  
„I got into a bit of an argument…“, he admitted, sounding casual about it. Still not looking at the other man while putting the saddle away and grabbing a carrot for his horse. He didn‘t want him to know that part about his life. 

A discontent huff from Ryan „Okay then. Let me treat your wound.“ he said, „I‘ll be in the house.“.  
Shane turned around to see Ryan walking over to his woodblock house. The sky was already starting to turn from blue to red and orange. 

„Bandit, I don‘t want him to think less of me because of this.“ he sighs. His horse nudged him and nibbled at the carrot. He looked into the gentle brown eyes of his hooved companion. „You are right, it's dumb to hide it. That situation is horseshit anyway.“ - the mare snatched the whole carrot away - „No offence“.  
She nudged him encouragingly with her head. 

Back in the house, Ryan was already waiting for him, a flask from his medicine cabinet, a bowl of water and a cotton cloth set out on the dining table.  
Shane himself set the booze next to it and set down in front of Ryan.  
„Okay,“ he huffed. „I‘ll tell ya!“

The corner of Ryans mouth arched upwards triumphantly. „I‘m all ears!“. He took the wet cloth and gently started cleaning the blood from Shanes temple and forehead.

„The townsfolk...they don‘t like me!“, Shane tried to sound as nonchalantly as possible, looking down to his own hands. „They think I'm a weirdo I guess! A freak of some kind!“.  
Maybe Ryan would think that now too.  
„Most of the time they ignore me… or give me glances.“ he said, finally taking the courage to look up to the other man who absentmindedly tapped the cloth against Shanes now cleaned skin. 

Shane was so close to him, he could have counted all his freckles. He could feel goosebumps crawling up his neck. They haven‘t been that close since the day he saved him from the hunters.  
Their eyes met. For the first time, Ryan could see something reminiscent of fear in those brown eyes. 

„Those townspeople are idiots then!“ he said, holding Shane's gaze. How did his voice become so gentle all of the sudden? „I think they are missing out“, his hand rested on the side of Shane's face unconsciously, while holding the cloth. Shane's cheeks became warm.  
„I mean, who else could paint a two-story building without a ladder, all by himself!“, Ryan added. That made them both chuckle.  
Ryan grabbed the tincture. „And in what kind of argument did you get then? I mean you said they are ignoring you.“ He started applying it on the wound. 

A frustrated sign escaped Shane's lips. „It was horseshit!“, he let out a humourless laugh. „That one guy, McClintock, he made a brash comment at Jen, the store owner, and that didn‘t sit well with me! She's the only person there that is nice to me, you know.“

„So you punched him?“

„What? No!“ Shanes brows furrowed, „I told him to leave her and her girlfriend alone.“ Ryans eyebrows lifted in disbelief. He would have knocked that guy out of the window. 

Shane saw that reaction and looked away. „And I – well he punched me. And then I left.“  
„You left?!“ Ryan couldn't believe what Shane just said. „You let him do this and then just… left?!“  
Shane grunted and stood up, grabbing two glasses from the cabinet.  
„You could have knocked that guy out, Shane! You are a tall guy! And strong too!“ 

Two glasses were put on the table a little too hard and the bottle was opened. Shane remained silent for a second, thinking about what he should say.  
„Yeah well, I don‘t like fighting. I am not good at it.“, he looked at Ryan and shrugged. 

But he wasn‘t having it, staring at his tall companion sceptically. „Rubbish Shane! I bet with one swing of yours, you could knock me out of my boots!“ he grinned a bit, a boyish glint in his eyes. 

Shane saw Ryan taking him up and down and could feel his cheeks getting warm again. So he took his attention to the bottle of booze.  
„I mean, you even carried me up those stairs!“ the younger man added. 

„Well, what happened happened, can‘t change it now!“ he shoved a glass of bourbon towards Ryan. „Let's have a drink!“ 

They sat side by side in two rocking-chairs, gazing into the fire of the fireplace. Its already there third glass. Shane told Ryan what he thought about the townsfolk and the latest gossip Jen told him. Of how superstitious they are and who had an affair with whom. 

„That town is wretched.“ Ryan chuckled and turned his head over to Shane. His cheeks carried a slight blush. Maybe from the alcohol, maybe from the warmth of the fire. Shane took that sight in. He allowed himself to think of it as beautiful. 

„Yeah, they really are! I don‘t mind them not liking me! Seems like less of a hassle!“ he chuckled and took another sip from his glass.  
„So… why did you never leave this place then? Make a new life somewhere else?“, Ryan finally asked. It burned on his chest for a few days now. Seeing how Shane lived alone on that little farm, with only his animals and crops. He didn‘t seem to get a lot of company. 

Shanes's eyes became more somber and he looked away into the dancing flames.  
„I don‘t know where to go… I've lived here all my life.“ he slowly swung the whiskey in its glass, eyes distant. „My parents died when I was… young. Fourteen. I know, half a man, but still a child. All alone I didn‘t know what to do so I just stayed and cared for our farm.“

Ryan looked at him. Those brown eyes now so sad and doleful, he wanted to reach out to him, „‘M sorry…“, he said into the tense silence.  
Shane slowly turned his head to look at him. In the warm light of the fire, he could see tears glint in Shanes's eyes, but they woun't come out.  
„I didn‘t mean to…“, Ryan trailed off, not knowing what to say and also to engaged by the sight in front of him.  
„Its okay Ryan.“ Shane said quickly. His voice was so soft and quiet. „I haven‘t talked about this in years…“ he murmured, more to himself than to Ryan. 

Ryan was right. Why did he stay here all alone? It was time for a change. The idea came to him today in town. He and Ryan could do something together. At first, it was a silly little thing he had banned to the back of his mind. But now, them sitting together like this, it didn't feel so silly anymore. Shane didn't know the specifics of it. He just knew he got along well with Ryan. He wanted Ryan to stay.  
So Shane decided to ask him. Tomorrow that is. Not now in this sad mood.

They looked into each other's eyes. Only the soft crackle of the fire was audible. Ryan wanted to remember how the other man looked right now. How the light of the flames danced around his soft features. There was nothing of Shanes usual nonchalant indifference in that mans face now. Only raw honesty. Ryan wanted to remember the way Shanes's eyes looked into his like this forever. 

Shane felt vulnerable. A feeling he was not used to at all. It was Ryans eyes, looking so deeply into his own. He was trapped by them. Not knowing what to say, not capable to act. 

"Thank you Shane...", Ryan murmured into the soft silence. "You have done so much for me...".  
Shanes mouth formed into a slight smile. "Its nothin'...".  
"Its a lot to me.", Ryan smiled back. "I- you are my friend, okay? So, thank you."

That made the smile on Shanes's lips grow bigger. "A friend, huh?", he seemed to contemplate that word for a moment. "Yeah, guess you are my friend too."  
"What an honour", Ryan chuckled with a slight sarcastic undertone.  
Shane laughs a little. "It is! you should bathe in that honor I bestowed upon you!"

They chared another laugh.  
Then Shane emptied the glass in one swing and stood up. "Its late! G'night! See ya tomorrow". Shane gave Ryan a last tired smile before he went upstairs.  
"Good night, Shane." the other replied gently. 

So Ryan was left sitting there alone. Staring into the now small fire. He waited a long while. Till he was sure Shane was asleep. Then he grabbed a pen and paper and started writing a note. While he did that, a knot started forming in his gut. This was harder then he imagined it to be. 

Shane became dear to him. How easy did that happen, he thought. But he can't betray Elenor like this.  
It is the right thing to do, Ryan was sure. 

And then he left. Only leaving that piece of paper on the dining table behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gosh they are so soft and yearning in this chapter. How did that happen?!  
> I blame it on the soft Christmas LoFi music I've been hearing yesterday while writing it. Also, it was 3 am! 
> 
> Yes, Banjo McClintock and Jen made a lil cameo! Sorry I made him an asshole!  
> So there is some backstory in this one but also some more mysteries! Stay tuned!  
> Also, Shane has a secret, I did hint on it a tiny tiny bit, but not much! Keep your eyes open for more clues! 
> 
> The next chapter will be more loaded with action and conflict! And Steven!  
> Your comments and kudos make me so happy! <3 Thank you for reading!


	3. The Heist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane finds himself alone the next morning. He just wanted to forget Ryan as quickly as possible.  
> But then the town of Tombstone gets raided and he wants to safe innocent lives. 
> 
> WARNING for fire-related violence in this chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was kind of a pain to write for me. A lot of stuff out of my comfort zone. That's why it comes so late!  
> But after this, the story can start for real! 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it anyway!
> 
> I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

## Chapter 3: The Heist

_Shane,  
when you read this letter, I am already far gone.   
I am not a safe person to be around.   
Please know that I meant everything I said. You are my friend and I want nothing more for you then to be safe and happy. _

_Ryan._

Shane was standing at his dinner table. He was holding that piece of paper in his trembling hands, reading the words for the third time now. Only slowly comprehending what this all meant.   
Friends. Ryans tired voice from yesterday repeated this word in his head over and over again. You are my friend, okay?

Friends don‘t just leave. 

His face remained indifferent as he crumpled the letter in his hand and shoved it in his pocket.   
He felt so stupid.   
Stupid for even entertaining the idea that Ryan would have stayed.   
Stupid for even allowing himself to have feelings for someone.   
Stupid for thinking Ryan might reciprocate. 

Well, the sooner Shane got back to his old routine, the better. In a little, while he would forget about all of this and his life would be quiet again.   
Quiet and lonely, he thought, but the shock it off. Quiet and to be left alone, that's what he wanted!   
Absentmindedly, his gaze wandered around. It got caught on the medicine bottle on his table. He didn‘t tidy up yesterday, he remembered. So he picked it up and noticed it was nearly empty.   
He should get a refill, he thought, in case of an emergency.   
This all reminded him so much of Ryan at it stung. So he gulped those pesky feelings down.   
„Guess I have to go into town again…“, he murmured to himself and turned to put on his coat. That bugged him a bit since he just went yesterday. But after a quick look around, he found more things he might need. So the trip was worth it at least. 

He was all quiet on the road, didn’t hum or whistle as usual. Bandit seemed to notice his mood too. So they both trotted along the lonely road. He only hopes he didn’t have to see McClintock again! Ryans voice whispered in his mind, that he could just throw that asshole out of a window next time he saw him. He would deserve that for all he has ever said and done to Shane.  
With a frustrated sigh, he shook that thought off. He knew vengeance would give him satisfaction for a short amount of time. But he would also lose his temper, he knows that much.  
And then the townsfolk would have a real reason to be scared of him. 

But suddenly the sound of an explosion in the distance ripped him from his lonely pondering. Startled, Bandit bolted forward and Shane nearly fell off of her, if he didn’t catch himself last second.  
With a soothing noise, he could bring his Mare under control again to then make sense of what just happened. Alarmed, he stared off into the direction of the detonation.  
“The Vulture Mines…”.  
Something was off. Those mines were closed for a year now and the townsfolk did long excavated another one for them to exhaust. There even was a rumour that it was cursed since so many people died in accidents in that hellhole. 

For a second he wanted to give in to his urge to explore what has happened.  
But he was tired and only wanted to have his peace and quiet and be done and over with his trip into town. Those greedy folks probably wanted to milk the mine a little bit more and so he continued his trip. 

The closer he came to Tombstone, the heavier the lump in his stomach got. An unpleasant air of danger hung in the air, the hair on this neck was standing straight up. 

A Gunshot.  
And Shane stilled his horse. 

He was close now and from afar he saw a pit of people, crowded together in the plaza of the little town, surrounded by more people. There were commotion and more warning gunshots.

Bandits! The town is being ambushed!

“You have to stay here, I will come back for you”, he whispered to his horse as he hid her in some bushes. She looked at him accusingly and he crossed his arms. “I will be okay, it's safer for you. Your namesakes are not the nice kind.” his large hand caressed her neck gently. “I can take them on, you know that,” he said in a soft voice. 

And so he sneaked himself closer to the scene of the crime, through a narrow side street. There was no buzzing noise in the towns square as usual. Just tense and silent murmuring.  
He crouched his tall lanky figure behind some barrels to have a protected view off what was happening there exactly. 

As he expected, most of the townsmen where penned up in the middle of the plaza, surrounded by men with guns. Some were still dragged out of there houses.  
Shane spied some men and women rummaging the houses for loot. 

Different scenarios flashed through his head what could happen next when he would intervene. Most of them ended in him being shot or injured in some kind of way. It was quite the big pack of outlaws and almost each of them had a gun.  
He on the other hand had no gun. 

“For a mining town, you folks don’t have a lot to offer us!”

A foreign-looking man caught his attention as he spoke up, standing directly in front of the crowd. He could be the leader, Shane thought. That man hat pitch black, short hair and wore a type of cloak that was so different from what Shane new. And it frankly seemed unpractical for riding and fighting. Yukata it was called. He remembered reading about the Asian continent, where it was mentioned. He has never seen a human that looked like this in real life. What Shane found most interesting, was the mask the man wore on the back of his head. Shane could make out some sort of animal, but not more since the foreigner was standing in profile to him. A wicked smile was spreading across his face. But in quickly turned into a frown when someone from the crowd spoke up.  
“Well, what else do you want from us then?! I know what some of ya are! Magic folk!” a man yelled out of the crowd and stepped forward. “You don’t scare us! Get lost already you freaks of nature!”

“Yes! Show them McClintock!” another one cheered him on.  
Shane frowned. That dense idiot. 

The expression of the bandit leader changed to something else, curiosity. His name was Steven Lim. And he just found who he was looking for.  
“Your Name is McClintock?”, he asks with his calm voice of his, turning to the big-mouthed idiot in the crowd.  
Goosebumps began crawling up Shane's spine now. The air suddenly became electric. Shane saw how some of the bandits pulled their guns out and gulped. 

“I will tell you what we want! We need some chosen once to be our captives. But you will not survive this! It's my bosses wish.”  
The expression on McClintocks face changed when Steven said that. “You might have heard of him. Ricky Goldsworth,”.  
Shane had never heard of him before, he was just not up for this type of news. But that guy seemed to inspire a lot of fear into the townsfolk. And he also couldn’t let anyone here die. 

So Shane made a decision. 

“No stop!” he bolted out of his safe hiding spot and with some large strides he stood between the intruder and the crowd, his hands up in the air to show he had no weapons. “Leave them alone! Take me with you! These people… they don’t mean harm…” he said. It's okay, he thought. He sure would stand a fair chance against that Ricky Goldsworth. Maybe even rid the world of a criminal like him. 

At least he hoped so. 

No one of the townsmen said anything. He could feel their stairs on is back.  
As if someone slapped him in the face, Steven looked at Shane in bewilderment. Either this guy was really dumb for caring for people that didn't care about him or just wanted to be a brave hero. He didn’t care either way. 

“Shane no! You don’t have to do this!”, Jen hat squeezed herself out of the crowd to plea with him. Shane turned to her and smiled reassuringly. “I will be okay.”

Shane? So that was interesting. Stevens plans had just changed. “Okay then, Shane, you will come with us,” That pulled Shanes attention back to the man in front of him. He felt his heartbeat fastening and a knot forming in his guts. He was in danger! But he tried his best to stay calm. Can’t lose his temper right now!

Slowly, Steven pulled his mask to the front of his face and now Shane could make out a foxes face in it. “I have no more use for you, sir!”. The ghost of a smile ran across his face as he addressed McClintock in a calm voice. That man had been a silent spectator until now. But if he thought he could get out of this all clean he was wrong. 

It happened slowly, like drops of water running down a window, the black hair of the man was turning light blue. One by one, six tails started to appear from behind his back. And with that, six blue little flames appeared in the air surrounding his head. 

The crowd took a collective gasp and people began staring at the spectacle before them. They have never seen anything like this. And even with Shanes vast knowledge of magical folk, neither did he. 

One flame slowly flew towards him. And he was so gobsmacked he did realize too late that this little flame entered his body at his chest.  
Shane gasp.  
Suddenly his knees gave in and he sank to the ground, glaring up to the man in front of him. He couldn’t do much. He wanted to stand up and attack that man, but his body felt week and his mind was clouded. “What did you… do” he gasp. Instead of bolting forward, his clumsy arm moved a bit upwards before falling limply to the ground. 

The masked man was just staring down at him. That was odd, that lanky guy should be unconscious right now. But that's a problem for later.  
He looked at his other target and raised a hand, did a finger gun motion with his fingers. “bang” he said in a monotone manner. And McClintock burst into flame.  
Shane couldn’t see it, but the could hear it, smell it. He couldn’t move, that bastard hat put some sort of smell onto him. But he wouldn’t want to see it either.  
It was over very soon. And Shane just stared up at that man, his blood frozen. 

Steven spread his arms wide, the blue flames dancing around his head now spreading outwards until they lit the buildings near him on fire. They immediately burst into flames.

“Let's go, lads!”, Steven commanded. “Let's leave this place!”

Not being able to even stand up, Shane could only stare at the buildings that burst into flames in front of him in horror. His breath was heavy and he felt so tired and paralyzed. He never felt this useless in his life. 

Steven stepped closer to Shane and keeled in front of him. Surprisingly gentle, he turned Shane’s shocked face towards him. “You are so stubborn. What is wrong with you?!”, but Shane did not understand what that meant.  
He felt a gentle hand pressing against his forehead and his vision turned black at the edges. 

Flames, screams, amber in the air and that wicked fox mask was the last thing he was aware of before everything went dark. 

Shane phases in and out of an uneasy slumber, being shaken awake by the judder of the carriage he was laying on. Sometimes the blurry image of a bushy prairie would tell him, that he wasn’t near the town anymore. Another time he saw the sky turning orange. Thick clouds were crowding his mind. He felt faint and every time his mind drifted of into that darkness again, his dreams where hazy and messy. Ryan would show up, with that handsome smile of his. His parents too. But they said nothing. They were just silently observing him. 

“No, please! I’m sorry!”, he would shout. But they didn’t seem to listen. 

__________

Shane began to awaken slowly. He wasn’t moving anymore. Disoriented, he looked around to see where he was. For a short blessed moment, he didn’t remember all that has happened before. But then it all came crashing down on him.  
On the camp of tents and carriages, he made out that he was were the bandits hid away from everyone. It was already night, the sky splattered with stars. Fires lit up this area where everyone was gathering up. 

“So, why exactly did you bring him!? There was no reason! How can you be this stubborn” an annoyed voice took his attention. It was familiar. 

“Ryan?!”, he gasped as he saw him walking to a crouching figure in the middle of the plaza. The man from earlier following him close. 

That took Ryans attention. He didn’t want to deal with this now. He just couldn’t. 

So Ryan turned to him, just looked at him with an indifferent expression and turned away. “I will deal with that later!”, he said, annoyance clear in his voice “Lim! You will have some explaining to do later!” he spat towards Steven. That reaction was a gut punch for Shane. 

He wanted to stand up and shake him. That was Ryan! His Ryan that was so gentle. Did he lie to him? He felt a stinging pain in his heart. Anger wanted to rise in his chest. It wanted to come to boil and release all his frustration and unleash the monster inside of him and with that all his anger. But Stevens spell was still binding him, rendering him weak and paralyzed.  
He wanted to say something, shout at him. To make him turn around and answer his questions. But the words got stuck in his throat, a heavy lump forming in it. 

Ryan glared at Steven who just blankly stared back at him. That little shit! What has he done this time?! Why did he bring him here?! And why did he not bring more captives?! He would need more soon, but for now, this weak man has to do.  
So he turned to the trembling Major of Tombstone, looking down on him in disgust. “You little shit, now you are finally useful! Aren’t you happy?!” he said in a dark voice. When they captured him this morning, he was about to rape his servant. And that didn’t fly with Ryan. 

The man on his knees before him was shaking. He made a pathetic picture.  
“No, please! I will give you everything! Gold? Money? A-and you have your crystals! I got you the crystals from the mine, Mr Goldsworth!” his voice was shaking as he pleaded. 

Steven was watching all of it. But his glance fell onto Shane on the other side of the little square build by the tents and carriages. He was still held captive by his charm. But the sleeping spell he put on him earlier had worn off. But it was odd. Something about this man was wrong. He was no human. How could Ryan not have noticed that?!  
Oh no, Steven knew exactly why Ryan didn’t notice. He had heard shaped glasses on. But he couldn’t be mad at his friend for that.  
There was no other explanation anyways. Every human and most magical folk would be out of commission as long as he pleased, with his charm on them. But this man fought against it. It was like holding a door close and on the other side was someone pressing against it, wanting to open it.

Their looks meet and Steven shuddered. Despite his desperate situation, Shane stared back at him with a stoic look as they battled over control of Shane’s body. But then his attention was drawn to Ryan again and Steven could make out something like hurt in his eyes. It was faint and quick to miss. 

“Yes!” Ryan chuckled darkly. He lifted the Majors chin up with his boot and grinned down at him. “You got me the crystals from the mine, and for that, I am very glad. So I will give you the honour of being my first sacrifice!” he said and stepped back.  
He set a tall crystal in front of the trembling man and took a few steps back. That thing was as long as his hand and so beautiful. It shimmered in rainbow colours in the light of the small fires surrounding the plaza. 

As he took his gloves off, the men and women of his bandit pack began cheering him on and Ryan felt a rush of adrenaline that made him euphoric. Finally, he was so close to reaching his goal. Not long and he would hold his Elenor in his arms again. He quickly glanced over to where Shane was seated. 

Shane watched as Ryan keeled down himself where he stood and put his two hands on the ground. His black hands. Shane could clearly see it in the firelight.  
When he started murmuring an incantation, the ground began to glow in a pentagram shape, surrounding Ryan and the mayor. It was beautiful and terrifying at the same time. It was like the light was dripping from the ground into the air. Ryans eyes began to glow green. The other man began to scream as he was engulfed in the same green light. 

That scream was sending a bone-shaking shiver through Shane. It turned into a high pitched painful yelp as the light that engulfed him was being sucked into the crystal in front of him. 

Then silence. 

Everything was suddenly so silent and slow. The body of the man falling limply to the side. Ryan taking the crystal in his hands and holding it up in the air triumphantly. The crowd cheering him on.  
But in Shane's ear was just a loud ringing now. He barely noticed how two men were raising him up. 

“This one next?!” one had asked.  
“No! Not now!” Ryan answered, not giving Shane a single look. “My energy is drained. Just bring him into my tent,” he ordered. 

Shane was sitting on a pile of soft furs and pillows, looking into the slowly dying fire in front of him. At least it was warm in this tent. He could hear cheers and music from outside. They were celebrating. Celebrating this insane murder of a man. A murder Ryan had committed. No, he was Ricky, wasn’t he?!  
He didn’t even look at him.

His eyes fell close slowly, again and again. This time the sleepiness came naturally. He was exhausted and tired from this day. And not even the anxiety over what would happen next would keep him awake any longer. Would he be next? Would Ry- Ricky do that? After all, that happened between them. 

But footsteps coming closer announced Ryans arrival at his tent.  
He held one side of the tent cloth open and stood there for a moment, looking down at Shane. He looked so exhausted and done. Is hair dishevelled, clothes dirty and dark circles under his eyes.  
Ryan stepped into the tend, he didn’t want all of this. He hadn’t planned all of this. But that was just his luck. 

“Shane” he started, swallowing the knot in his throat, but twitched as Shane managed to raise his voice.  
“Ricky Goldsworth?! Is that your name?!” a whole day of anger and frustration has to lead to his outburst, despite his numbing condition. “Why did you lie?! Why did you leave?” his voice grew quieter with every word, even though he wanted to scream at the man in front of him, shower him in question and demanding answers. It was all drained out by sadness. 

“I didn’t lie to you about my name! I am Ryan! Ryan Bergara… I am the same man that you saved. That lived on your farm for the last few weeks!” he said, guilt in his voice. “I just use this alias for my gang. Only Steven knows my real name,” he explained. “The Kitsune, you already met him.”  
Shane had to listen to him! He didn’t want him to be angry and to think ill of him.

But Shane looked away at an empty corner of the tent. He wasn’t having this. 

“And… and I left because of this! I told you I am not safe to be around and now you know why!”, Ryan wanted to sound matter-of-factly, but his shaking voice betrayed him. 

“You are responsible for a lot of deaths and pain today” Shane spoke under his breath, a sad little voice cutting through him like a dagger. “McClintock? Why did you want him dead?” he had to know. 

“Because that bastard hurt you. And he made life difficult for you.” Ryan sat down in front of him. “I wanted to do you some good… I guess that failed.”

Shane glanced over to Ryan. There he was again. The man he knew. He looked sorry. But Shane couldn't get behind that logic. Killing for that. But he couldn’t help feeling a little touched at that gesture either. 

There was a moment of tense silence as their eyes met. Both wet with emotions. Ryan hated that stoic expression on Shane's face. And he was sorry, for being the cause of his state of exhaustion. Stevens magic was intense, he knew that. 

Shane broke the silence then “And what will happen to me now? Will I meet the same fate as the mayor?”  
“No!” Ryan protested quickly and reached out to him, but drew his hand away just as quick. “No Shane… you are my friend I-” he gulped at those words.  
Shane wouldn't want to be his friend anymore. “You are under my protection. No one will harm you. It was just an excuse to keep you safe. I can’t just let you go this easily. I would lose the trust and respect of my people, you understand that?”.  
That was met with silence.

“We will find a way to let you go back to your farm soon…” he said then and stood up. “For now, catch some sleep… I will do that too.” he gestured to another pile of furry and pillows. 

So he was sitting on a bed, well at least it was something good. But going back to his farm? So close to the city that probably is no more? All alone?  
Shane was so exhausted and tired, it was easy for him to finally lay down and drift off to sleep shortly after. 

Ryan was looking at him. Making sure he was asleep for sure before he grabbed a blanket and covered Shane up, so he would not freeze tonight. 

Inside of him raged a storm of feelings. Guilt and sadness and anger at the situation with Shane. His heart clenched as he looked down at the other man. He wished he had never met him in the first place, things wouldn’t be so complicated now. He would not feel so torn right now. All of that mixed together with the euphoria that his plan had finally started working after all these years and the prospect of seeing Elenor again kept him awake for half the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What an angsty chapter! Can't wait to write some fluff again. 
> 
> Oh boy, what's going on with Shane?  
> And we still don't know who Eleanor is, but we will find out in the next chapter!  
> And Steven made an appearance. He will be a recurring Character and maybe he  
> will get his own side plot about him and Andrew, what do you think about that? 
> 
> Stay safe everybody and happy holidays!


End file.
